Recent figures released by Nielsen show just how big a streaming success Pixar's Luca was for Disney+ and why more Pixar movies are going directly to the platform. The recent announcement that the upcoming Turning Red would be going directly to the streaming platform, the third consecutive Pixar original movie to do so, saw fans and Pixar Employees upset about the perceived diminution of the acclaimed studio to streaming-original content. However, Luca's streaming success suggests that this move is not due to a perceived weakness in the material but a strategic move to support Disney's goal to dominate streaming.
Nielsen, the widely-used TV ratings agency, recently released their annual survey of the most streamed movies. Luca, commonly considered one of 2021's best animated movies, topped the list, being viewed for a total of 10.6 billion minutes. The top four spots were also animated Disney+ movies, including Raya and the Last Dragon, Moana, and Frozen II. This is especially impressive considering that Disney+ has fewer subscribers than Netflix. While Nielsen's numbers have limitations, they are the most reliable third-party measurement service, and likely more credible than streaming services' self-reported numbers.
The ultimate goal of Disney+ is to surpass Netflix, and Luca topping the movie list is a big success in this regard. Releasing future Pixar movies like Turning Red on the service is a way to continue this trend and keep subscribers happy. With theatrical releases still an uncertain prospect due to COVID-19, a high-profile streaming-exclusive Pixar release that could win new subscribers may be more valuable to Disney, which helps to explain why Pixar originals are moving to Disney+.
The streaming format also perfectly fits how children consume movies. As any parent will admit, kids love watching the same movie or video over and over again, meaning that a movie like Luca can rack up many more streaming minutes than an adult-oriented movie with the same amount of unique viewers. This is also one of the main selling points of Disney+, giving parents something that can reliably keep their children occupied. Releasing Pixar movies like Luca and Turning Red directly to Disney+ makes them instantly rewatchable for kids.
Bypassing cinemas and skipping straight to Disney+ could also give Pixar more flexibility when it comes to introducing original ideas. As with big-budget action movies, the high cost of animated pictures means that studios are often risk-averse, relying on established franchises and formulas. Seven of the 11 movies Pixar released in the 2010s were sequels or prequels, and upcoming projects like the Toy Story spin-off Lightyear suggest the trend could continue. Luca was in some senses an anomaly for recent Pixar, telling a smaller-scale and slower-paced story without any connections to previous hits, but its streaming numbers suggest that such a story can be a success on Disney+. Shifting towards more Disney+ releases could allow for Pixar to explore original ideas and perhaps break out of what has become an established formula.
None of this is to say that Pixar fans or employees shouldn't be upset that they won't be able to see Turning Red or other future Pixar movies on the big screen. The ideal release for viewers would be a simultaneous theatrical and streaming release, although the mixed results for 2021 simultaneous releases may make Disney reluctant to pursue such a strategy. But the massive streaming success of Luca shows that Pixar movies being moved to Disney+ doesn't suggest Disney is neglecting or losing faith in the animation studio.
